An overview of the evolution of Australian Rules football in Victoria from its origins in 1858 to the present day. The opening chapter provides a snapshot of the unusual 2020 AFL season. I then trace the evolution of the game in Victoria during the late 1800s including the background to the 1896 VFA/VFL split, followed by a chapter outlining the development of the two leagues during the 20th century. This is followed by chapters on all 18 AFL teams, including major team rivalries, great coaches, great indigenous players and great goalkickers. There are also chapters on how the various finals' systems work(ed) over the years, State of Origin and Laws of the Game. The book is chock full of statistics, trivia and footy anecdotes which will enthral any Aussie Rules fan.

The first book to trace the history, development and popularity of women's football. Explores how the game spread from west to east and reveals little-known facts about women in sport and women in society.

These thirty seven contributions of original essays about the most heartfelt moments in VFL/AFL cut across all divides. Essays include contributions by and about football players, supporters and administrators who are vastly different in religion, class, income, ethnicity, gender, race and sexual preference. The contributors range from Christians such as Cardinal George Pell, Geraldine Doogue, and John Birt to atheists like Ross Fitzgerald, Dick Whitaker and Barry Dickins. Even in politics AFL/VFL unites with contributions from Labor's shadow treasurer Chris Bowen; Liberal Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia, Josh Frydenberg; Liberal Foreign Minister Julie Bishop; ex Liberal federal minister Amanda Vanstone and ex Victorian premier, Jeff Kennett. Also a number of contributors uncover how, over the decades, our great game has developed, often for the good, but sometimes not, in terms of its treatment of indigenous players and its dealings with women. Being a lifelong supporter of a club, any club involves a lot of downs and ups. At the very least, to be a true supporter means never giving up or relinquishing one's team. Indeed it means even more than that. Ultimately it is the downs that enable supporters to show their true colours and the depth of their personal attachment and commitment to each club. Thus, as Roger Kahn wrote, in his case about the Brooklyn Dodgers: "You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat. With Contributions from ROSS FITZGERALD PHILLIPA POWER, barrister who once was Sydney Swans number 1 ticket holder BRIAN DIXON, former Melbourne footballer 1954-1968 KEN SPILLMAN, WA ambassador for The Footpath Library DICK WHITAKER, meteorologist, author, television and radio presenter BARRY DICKINS, award wining writer PETER LYONS, former sports Editor for the Canberra Times JAMES GILCHRIST, author of Tortured Tales of a Collingwood Tragic FRANK DIMATTINA, former Richmond Champion PHIL TAGELL, author of the book Footy Tragic MATT ZURBO, writer on Australian Rules JEFF KENNETT, former Victorian Premier and former Hawthorn President BILL HAY, artist and former under 19s Sandringham player SUSAN ALBERTI, Vice-President Footscray Football Club CHRIS BOWEN, Shadow Treasurer of Australia CARDINAL GEORGE PELL, Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church LES EVERETT, Author of Fremantle Dockers: An Illustrated History PAUL SANTAMARIA, Melbourne barrister and son of BA Santamaria JOHN BIRT, played for Essendon 1957 to 1967 PEGGY O'NEAL, president of the Richmond Football Club. ROBERT PASCOE, Professor of History at Victoria University, Melbourne RICHARD ALLSOP, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs AMANDA VANSTONE, Former Senator for South Australia 1984-2007 CHRIS KENNY, Associate Editor of The Australian GABRIELLE TRAINOR, inaugural director of the GWS Giants. SALLY MURPHY, children's book author MICHAEL GORDON, political editor of The Age JULIE BISHOP, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs CHRIS GRIFFITH, is The Australian newspaper's Senior Technology Journalist. GERALDINE DOOGUE, ABC TV Presenter GERARD HENDERSON, Writer and Author JOHN ELLIOTT, former Carlton President JOSH FRYDENBERG, Member for Kooyong ANTHONY CAPPELLO, Founder of Connor Court Publishing ANDREW IRELAND, CEO/Managing Director of the Sydney Swans MICHAEL O'LOUGHLIN, played 303 matches with the Sydney Swans WEATHERMAN DICK, nom de plume of a well-known Australian meteorologist

There are a bazillion reasons to love footy! These are just my biggest ones. There's the big tackles and amazing marks. There's wearing the scarf and singing the song. But whether your team wins or loses, from the opening bounce to the final siren, the very best thing about footy is that we do it together.

"Carlton fans adored him for his ability to win games off his own boot; opponents admired him for his seemingly superhuman feats. And today, AFL coaches still scour the fields for rookies of his ilk. But there's only one Anthony Koutoufides. For sixteen years, Kouta's name echoed throughout the stands. His one-handed pick-up brought him to the attention of his coach, but his strong mark, beautiful kick and sheer athleticism won over all the fans. A premiership player and twice All-Australian, Kouta certainly found success but his career wasn't always a fairytale. Chronic injuries restricted his game, personal tragedy left him reeling and when he was made captain, he had to lead the club through some of its darkest days. To farewell the game, Kouta tells all the pressures of mounting expectation, club politics, drug allegations and the changing face of football. He recounts his journey from the early days in Lalor to the big lights and pay packets of a national league, where controversy pops up at the slightest provocation. Insightful and entertaining, Kouta is a candid look at our beloved game from perhaps the greatest player of his era."--Provided by publisher.

Vulnerability and Exposure presents a critical investigation of contemporary masculine team sports and football scandals, and their relationship with gendered cultures, institutions, and identity norms. Drawing on reports of 'Australian Rules' football off-field scandals, the book critically examines cases of sexual assault, illicit drug use, binge drinking, homophobia, violence, and other controversial behaviors that have become norms in the reporting of sports players' lives. Using a range of approaches to unpack some of the ways in which these scandals are produced and understood, and how they impact the reputations of players, clubs, and the game itself, the book identifies the cultural factors significant in the production of the contemporary footballer identity, and the ways in which these identities are constructed, performed, and reported. In utilizing scandal to develop ways in which off-field behavior in sport can be re-made as a relatively harmless event for women, bystanders, and players, this study develops an approach to ethics by showing that footballers are well-placed to see the vulnerability of others through their own vulnerability to injury, career breaks, and loss of reputation. [Subject: Sociology, Sports Studies, Gender Studies, Cultural Studies, Australian Studies]

How the Data Analytics Revolution is Uncovering Footy's Hidden Truths 'Footballistics is more than just good writing. The nature of football continually changes, which means its analysis must also keep pace. This book is for students, thinkers, and theorists of the game.' Ted Hopkins – Carlton premiership player, author, and co-founder of Champion Data. Australian Rules football has been described as the most data-rich sport on Earth. Every time and everywhere an AFL side takes to the field, it is shadowed by an army of statisticians and number crunchers. The information they gather has become the sport's new language and currency. ABC journalist James Coventry, author of the acclaimed Time and Space, has joined forces with a group of razor-sharp analysts to decipher the data, and to use it to question some of football's long-held truisms. Do umpires really favour the home side? Has goal kicking accuracy deteriorated? Is Geelong the true master of the draft? Are blonds unfairly favoured in Brownlow medal voting? And are Victorians the most passionate fans? Through a blend of entertaining storytelling and expert analysis, this book will answer more questions about footy than you ever thought to ask. Praise for Time and Space: 'Brilliant, masterful' – The Guardian 'Arguably one of the most important books yet written on Australian Rules football.' – Inside History 'Should find its way into the hands of every coach.' – AFL Record